Lives of the House

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Old Houses

Love your writing Caroline. I've lived in a few old houses in my day and always wished that they have come with a log. Wouldn't it be great to hear the stories of all the inhabitants in their own words?

Sandra Currie more than 2 years ago

lovely essay

Thanks, Caroline, for this lovely essay. Am I right in thinking you wrote a short story with similar content? What a gift to be able to learn the history of your home.

Pat Sullivan more than 2 years ago

preserving older houses

Washington DC architect Carl Elefanté spoke in Vancouver saying society cannot afford to keep carting all its outdated structures to landfills. He has done wonders preserving older structures. His talk is here: vancouver.usconsulate.gov/news-events/2010-news-and-events/15-november-2010-green-buildings.html
We have to be taught how to preserve buildings as an alternative to tearing them down. There is too little intelligent guidance for the public on how to preserve older buildings, and usually nightmare stories about people who tried.

Rosemary Eng more than 9 years ago

Thank you

Your story was amazing! I wish more people loved and appreciated the history in these old home. Keep up the good work!

Maris more than 10 years ago

We need people like you!

Put onto your story by Kathy Page, SSI. My husband and I moved into a house on Wiltshire St. that looked very much like this in Feb '65 and sold it to move to Australia in '69. A wonderful home on a quiet street in 'old' Kerrisdale area. Thanks so much for the memories and for following the mystery and marvels of your old home. I'm passing the story on to my daughter in Nanaimo who 'came home' to our place 47 years ago!

Patricia Fraser more than 10 years ago

Lives of the House

My stepdad currently lives in a house that he and my mom had purchased back July 1978. The house is over 100 years old and has been lifted and added to so much. I know that when he does decide to sell it, it will be another bit of Vancouver history gone. This one is in the Fraserview area. The two previous houses I had lived in were torn down and it will be sad to see it to go. Your story helps my memory go over all that has happened in my childhood home. :)

Janine more than 10 years ago

City Directories

I loved your story Caroline. Just for future reference (and because I loathe microfilm) the oriignal city directories are available at the Vancouver Archives at Vanier Park and BC addresses are online thanks to the Vancouver Public Library until 1940 at http://www.vpl.ca/bccd/index.php. www.blog.evelazarus.com

Eve Lazarus more than 11 years ago

thank you

Thank you for taking the time to find out the past of your home.. the stories that would have been lost had you not taken the time to do so I have two old houses in Alberta one is 1917 we bought off the grand daughter of the original owner , so we know much of the history .. the other is a 1907 home which has had many changes from a 6+ bedroom home to a boarding house to eventually made into apartments.. we know the step daughter of the original builder she liver accross the street but so many stories we do not know thanks for peeking my interest to indeed find out more..

Jamie more than 11 years ago

House Full of memories

Our home is on a tree lined street in Toronto's Leaside neighbourhood - a smalltown-like enclave undergoing a mad rush to renovate and expand. In our home, I have removed and refinished all the original door knob plates and the solid brass hinges. Keeping its original charm is important to us. There is no shrine. There is no story of families past. Perhaps we will be that family and leave our story in its walls. Thank you for this story - it was charming, memorable and rich in melancholy from start to demolition finish.

Son Roberts more than 11 years ago

Lives of the House

What a heart-achingly beautiful; article. I have long felt that a piece of me has been left behind in each house I have lived and have treasured each artifact I have found of previous residents. From layers of wall paper to a hand-crafted clothes peg box attached to the side of a Kits house- in my mind lovingly constructed by a husband to make his wife's laundry chores a little easier. The current trend to decorating to "lifestyle" magazine standards makes me wonder what traces will be left behind of our lives in the homes we live now.

Susan Goldie more than 11 years ago

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